Optical character recognition (OCR) is a mechanical or electronic translation of scanned images of handwritten, typewritten or printed text, graphics or symbols into machine-encoded text. OCR is a growing field of research in computer vision and augmented reality applications. Computer vision allows a device to perceive the environment in its vicinity. Computer vision enables applications in augmented reality by allowing the sensory input from the end-user's interaction with the real world to extend into the virtual world. In a real life example application, computer vision enabled OCR may help visually disabled individuals in perceiving written text and symbols in the field of view of a camera of a personal mobile device such as a smart phone.